Designing an encyclopedia of unique objects

Normally in an encyclopedia one finds out what a specific term means and the given description helps us to understand it. In our workshop this process will be reversed in order to create unusual objects.

What if we have to explain a specific term without knowing it and just use our phantasy to define an object? What if this explanation is then translated into a unique thing? Could a ‘pyrometer’ be a fireplace? And an ‘intrados’ a cup for two? And how would it really look like? A task that will trigger our imagination in order to get to unique results.
Through practical assignments and experiments, the participants will define and translate, make, test and explore. Directions to consider will vary from logic and meaningful solutions to poetic and lively proposals up to amusing absurdity.
At the end of the week there will be a collection of products, furniture, objects or even installations that form a surprising three-dimensional ‘encyclopedia’ of unique things. Let’s build something pulchritudious!

Workshops Review

About mischer’traxler

Katharina Mischer (1982) and Thomas Traxler (1981) form mischer’traxler studio. Based in Vienna they develop and design products, furniture, installations and more, with a focus on experiments, context and conceptual thinking. Balancing between handcraft and technology, they envision whole systems, processes and new production methods that indicate sustainability and the relevance of nature. Part of their design process is to examine, experiment, analyse and reject. This critical view often questions and affects the relation between producer, object and owner. “Why and what for” are often the main concerns before a new project comes into being, whilst “What if” ceases in new interpretations and different possibilities. Their results often make use of unexpected materials and are characterized by external inputs such as weather conditions or the usage of something that already exists. After graduating from the IM-master department at the Design Academy Eindhoven and several years of collaboration, Katharina and Thomas founded mischer’traxler studio in 2009. Their work won the Austrian Experimental Design Award 2009, the DMY Award 2009 and was shortlisted for the Brit Insurance Design Award in 2010. Numerous exhibitions on contemporary design displayed their products in museums including the Boijmans van Boiningen, the Desing Museum in London, the Triennale Milano, the Vitra Design Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum as well as on international festivals. Projects by mischer’traxler are in the permanent collections of the Art Institute Chicago, the Vitra Design Museum and the MAK in Vienna. mischer’traxler has been invited to lecture and give workshops in various institutes and universities in Austria and Europe and in 2011 was honoured with the ‘W-hotels designer of the future award’ by Design Miami/Basel and W-hotels.

Booking your Workshop

Check out our list of workshops, then book online and pay by Credit Card via PayPal.

A maximum of 2 places can be booked per workshop. Both attendees will need to fill in the booking forms on our site.

When you book two succeeding workshops for yourself, you'll get the second one with a 5% discount on the full price. For every further workshop booked for yourself, you'll get a 10% discount. Please contact us by email at manager@boisbuchet.org before proceeding with the online booking. The respective weekend stays are calculated as detailed in the Extras section.